Wow - who knew Jeff Foxworthy had this in him?

I waded through three threads for someone to make this cogent a point -- including my stuff.

 

You set 'em up and I knock 'em down, boss.

Speaking of, if you want a cool alt-country disc, check out The Chieftains --Down The Old Plank Road.

Good stuff...

 

The Chieftans are "alt-country"? All these years I've been saying I don't like country music....and now I find out I grew up on the stuff!

I better tell my Dad, he's suddenly a HUGE country music fan!

 

AL --
You know the Chieftains have been dipping into all sorts of genres for 20 years now. This was their "country" album. Of course, I did see Sean Keane play "Turkey In The Straw" in a bar late one night in '83.

 

Sorry, Ashy, I didn't explain that well.

This disc has the Chieftains playing with all kinds of country folk, on both Irish numbers and country standards.

You're likely to find it in the alt-country section at your local megastore.

 

Yeah, that speech'll do loads to unify the country.

 

Great country murder records from the past:
"Miller's Cave" by Hank Snow or Bobby Bare (written by the Big Bopper)
"The Cold Hard Facts of Life" by Porter Wagoner (written by Bill Anderson)
"Life to Go" by Stonewall Jackson (written by George Jones)
"Blood Red and Going Down" by Tanya Tucker

Great classic country schmaltz:
"Mom and Dad's Waltz" by Lefty Frizzell
"Mama Sang A Song" by Bill Anderson
"The End of the World" by Skeeter Davis
"For the Good Times" by Ray Price
"The Grand Tour" by George Jones

Great obscure classic hardcore country:
"Wishful Thinking" by Wynn Stewart
"How Much More Can She Stand" by Conway Twitty
"She's Acting Single, I'm Drinking Doubles" by Gary Stewart
"Tender Years" by George Jones

You'll note I haven't listed anything that was released less than 30 years ago - because the vast majority of modern "country" is crap (kinda like most of the shit you hear on "pop" radio).

 

Well, I loved a girl, she lived out in Pecos
Pretty
as she
could be

And I worked the rigs on out in Odessa
to give her
whatever
she needs

But that girl, she run
with an oil comp'ny bum
'Cause a diamond
was not on
her hand

He left her soon 'neath the big Loving moon
To go out
and x-ray
the land

Now I sit in my car at the New Rainbow Bar downtown
And the frost on the windshield shines toward the sky
Like a thousand tiny diamonds in the light of Loving County

Well, I walked that bar and I drank myself crazy
Thinkin' bout her
and that man

When in walked a woman lookin' richer than sin
And 10 years worth of work
on her hand

Well, I followed her home, and when she was alone
I put my gun
to her head

And I don't recall what happened next at all
But now that rich woman
she's dead

Now I drive the highway, 10 miles from my sweet baby's arms
And the moon is so bright, It don't look like night
And the diamond, how it sparkles in the lights of Loving County

-- One of my favorite tunes, "Loving County," a Texas love song from the great Charlie Robison. The story ends with the girl marrying the oil company guy and the protagonist "looking up at the East Texas sky" from death row. Kind of makes your heart melt a bit. And not one bit less violent than anything Eminem has ever done.

 

Graham Parson's version of "Miller's Cave" is one of my favorite songs.

These lines are simply classic:
I caught her out one Sunday morning
With a man they called Big Dave
The meanest man in Waycross, Georgia
I'd rather fight a mountain lion in Miller's Cave.

I called her down both her and David
Said I'm gonna see you in your grave
They laughed at me until I shot um
I took their cheating, scheming bones to Miller's Cave.

Oh, and mainstream country radio sucks almost as much as Fenian's worldview.

 

Gram.

 

Ya, him, too.